Fromacelebratedenvironmentaljournalist,therivetingexplorationofsealevelrisealongtheWestCoastthroughhumanstoriesandecologicaldramas.2023GoldenPoppyAwardWinnerforNonfiction,ChosenbytheCaliforniaIndependentBooksellersAlliance“Viscerallyurgent,thoroughlyreported,andcompellinglywritten--amust-readforouruncertaintimes.“--EdYong,authorofAnImmenseWorld“Whendoseawallsmakesense?Andwhenisitbettertogiveintothetides?[...]InCaliforniaAgainsttheSea,Xia[...]writesaboutthedifficultrealitiesoftryingtoincorporatefairnessintoourtallyofcostsandbenefits.“--TheNewYorkerAlongCalifornia’s1,200-milecoastline,theoverheatedPacificOceanisrisingandpressingin,imperilingbothwildlifeandthemaritimetownsandcitiesthat27millionpeoplecallhome.InCaliforniaAgainsttheSea,LosAngelesTimescoastalreporterRosannaXiaasks:Asclimatechaosthreatenstheplaceswelovesofiercely,willwefinallygraspourcollectivecapacityforchange?Xia,aPulitzerPrizefinalist,investigatestheimpactsofengineeredlandscapes,themarketpressuresofdevelopment,andtheecologicalactivismandpoliticalscrimmagesthathavecarvedourcontemporarycoastline--andforetellevengreaterchangestoourshores.FromthebeachesoftheMexicanborderuptothesheer-cliffedNorthCoast,thevoicesofIndigenousleaders,communityactivists,small-townmayors,urbanengineers,andtenaciousenvironmentalscientistscommingle.Together,theychroniclethechallengesandurgencyofforgingaclimate-wisefuture.Xia’sinvestigationtakesustoImperialBeach,LosAngeles,Pacifica,MarinCity,SanFrancisco,andbeyond,weighingtherivalingarguments,agreements,compromises,andvisionsgoverningtheStateofCalifornia’scommitmenttoacoastforall.Throughgracefulreportage,shechartshowthedecisionswemaketodaywilldeterminewherewegotomorrow:headlongintonaturaldisaster,ortowardanequitablerefashioningofcoastalstewardship.
TOGETHER CALIFORNIA S1 LosAngeles
